His Career, Her Career Strategies for Balancing Work and Family

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• His Career, Her Career Strategies for Balancing
  Work and Family
• Brian Newton
• Associate Director
• The Career Center _at_ ECU

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(No Transcript)
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Our Alumni Career Services

• Job Search Advising/Coaching
• On-Line Job Listings
• Resume Referrals
• On-Campus Interviewing

• Resume and Practice Interview Critique
• Career/Job Fairs
• Virtual Career Center
• Cyber Café
• Pirate Alumni Network (PAN)

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• His Career, Her Career Strategies for Balancing
  Work and Family

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Dual-Career Couple Facts

• Nearly 50 percent of families have two wage
  earners
• Half of the American work force is women
• 70 percent of women with children under 18 work
• Less than one-fifth of families are traditional
  breadwinner/homemaker families
• Work plays a significant role in the lives of
  dual-career families
• 60 percent of working parents experience conflict
  between work and family demands

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Typical Dual-Career Couple Scenario

• One partner comes home and says,
• Honey, Ive been thinking about my career and I
  feel its time to make a change. I found out
  about this terrific opportunity in (fill in the
  blank) and I want to go for the job.
• To which the other partner responds,
• I dont want to move. Im at that point in my
  career where Im successful and the company likes
  what Im doing. I dont want to start over!
  Plus, we cant move the kids in the middle of the
  school year.

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Questions Dual-Career Couples Face

• Whose career takes priority? When?
• Should someones career take priority? Why?
• Are our current jobs/careers fulfilling?
• How long do we want to stay in this geographic
  area? Do we like where we live?
• How long of a commute should each partner make?
• Who leaves work or stays out of work to care for
  the sick child, pet, or parent?
• Who does what in maintaining the household?
• Who runs the grocery/dry cleaning/household
  errands?

Adapted from Michelle Fleig-Palmer, Director of
the Dual Career Program at the University of
Nebraska, Kearney
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What causes stress?

• Managing more numerous and complex work and
  family roles
• Societys expectations and socialization of
  gender and changing sex roles
• Finding support systems congruent with dual
  career family lifestyles
• Occupational mobility
• Role strain
• Role spillover

Adapted from Balancing Work and Family,
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Bulletin 4186
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So What is Work and Family Balance?

• You have enough time for work and family
• Life flows and you are able to enjoy it
• When something goes wrong (car breaks down,
  someone gets sick, no childcare) you have the
  resources to cope
• On track - personally and professionally

Adapted from Sandi Epstein, What is Work and
Family Balance? And How do I Get it?
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Characteristics of Work and Family Balance

• Not constant, comes and goes with life changes
• It takes WORK
• The process of seeking balance can be deeply
  rewarding

Adapted from Sandi Epstein, What is Work and
Family Balance? And How do I Get it?
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Happiness Possible for Dual-Career Couples

• Provides positive work experiences
• Provides cognitive challenges and sense of self
  esteem
• Enhances personal relationship
• Financial incentives
• Social support
• Acceptance and satisfaction with lifestyle choice
• Cooperation

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Key Processes to Work Towards Balance

• Clarifying values
• Setting realistic goals and expectations
• Setting priorities
• Letting go and understanding control

Adapted from Balancing Work and Family,
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Bulletin 4186
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• Challenges and Solutions

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Challenge Limited mobility

• Solution
• Look for new opportunities within current
  employer
• Look for new opportunities within current
  geographic location

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Challenge Role Conflict

• Solution
• Values clarification
• Setting realistic expectations
• Satisfaction with sharing roles

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Challenge Housekeeping

• Solution
• Communicate about inequities
• Develop an equal division of responsibilities
  and labor
• Hire out

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Challenge Childcare

• Solution
• Be proactive and set plans in place
• Seek options

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Challenge Relationship with Partner

• Solution
• Planning time to be together
• Regular check-ins
• Weekly dates
• Vacations and get aways

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Challenge Having Time for Yourself and Family

• Solution
• Plan time to spend with the family
• Plan time to do things for yourself

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Top Ten Tips to Finding Balance

• Be clear about goals individual and partner
• Take time to think about balance
• Apply best thinking to problem solve
• Remember yourself, your needs, your happiness
• Have faith there is a way

• Be flexible
• Know the signs of imbalance
• Clarify core values and live them
• Remove the unimportant and delegate
• Find a mentor who understands

Adapted from Sandi Epstein, What is Work and
Family Balance? And How do I Get it?
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Thank you for your time and attention! Questions?
The Career Center 701 E. Fifth Street (252)
328-6050 [phone] fax www.ecu.edu/e3careers